Wednesday, January 23, 2013

The Evolving Nature and Style of Representation

Thirty-three years ago this week, on March 19, 1979, the U.S. House of Representatives inaugurated live, televised debate on the House Floor. Representative Albert Gore, Jr. of Tennessee was the first Member to speak before the cameras on the historic occasion: “It is a solution for the lack of confidence in government,” Congressman Gore said, alluding to the public’s post-Watergate demand for a more transparent government. “The marriage of this medium and of our open debate have the potential, Mr. Speaker, to revitalize representative democracy.”

Today, we are in the midst of another media revolution: email, text messages, websites, mashups, wikis, blogs, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest, Foursquare, Quora, RSS Feeds, LinkedIn... today, the Internet is social, interactive, and collaborative. All who are connected to the Internet have the whole world at their fingertips in ways that Congressman Gore and Speaker O'Neill could never have imagined! On the other hand, it is possible that Representative Gore's comment from 1979 has implications for us today - as we consider ways that social media shape legislators' evolving relationships with their constituents.With today's assignment in mind, please share your opinion on the question below:

What impact should social media have on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates today?

144 comments:

The evolving aspect of social media has developed into a large component in politics altogether. TV ads, website pop-ups, emails, phone calls, and facebook groups are all common pathways that legislators can use to focus on gaining the attention of their constituents. With the power that social media today carries, these methods serve as successful connections between a representative and his voters. It is important for the legislator to be able to express the views of his people to the public as well as promote his own ideas to his people, which are both easily done through social media.

Social Media can help the constituents and the legislators because it helps voice the opinion of both. The social media is a very important pathway for the constituents to voice their opinion. Also it can help the legislators promote their opinion to the public so constituents know who they are voting for to voice their own opinion. The social media offers an easier connection between the representative and the constituent.

It is the constituent's duty to keep their delegates as informed as they possibly can. I believe social media is a great way to achieve this. Mostly everyone uses some sort of social media which means mostly everyone is constantly being educated on politics and can express themselves accordingly. I think the social media has changed the way Americans vote. Americans are directly connected to politicians and organizations which makes constituents more educated than ever before. Unfortunately, some sources of media can be sided, but the benefits overpower this negative factor.

Social media has majorly evolved over the passed 33 years from when the House first televised a floor debate. Now with Facebook, Twitter, websites, pop-ads, emails, phone calls and text messages it has become incredibly easier for representatives to get in touch with there constituents and learn what they want him or her to vote for analog with also voice what they think should be done. This evolved way of communication has made it easier for the representative to make sure he represents there citizens well so that he can win re-election and gain more donations for campaigning.

Like any major change in the way people communicate, social media is being utilized in every aspect of life. The ability to connect and collaborate through social media has changed the way people work, play, and function in the world around them. Politics is not immune to the change and with the emerging age of tweets and postings, the way in which people communicate with their legislators can be totally re-worked.

Social media allows constituents to express their popular view in a more direct and connected way than ever before.

Legislators are able to see and hear the opinions of their constituents now more than ever before, as social media sites allow people to directly share their views. This will change how legislators act, as they now have a clearer view of what is important to those who they represent. Additionally, the increase in social media makes legislators more accountable for their actions, as any slip-ups or unpopular vote can easily spread across the nation in just a matter of minutes. The increase in social media benefits the trust and relationships between a legislator and their constituents and will subsequently benefit the American government.

The legislative process involving the representation of the constitution is a constant act in order to keep all groups happy with the representation. The new technology provides a number of different ways that people might challenge the way our constitution is being executed. It allows groups to present their case of why their group is not receiving all right and fair due from the constitution. The new technology is new and constant growing way to get people involved and to help all to reach out and to be heard in the government and system.

Social media has greatly impacted the way legislators represent their constituents through texts, Facebook, Web sites and much more. With the focus on social media today these sources or methods are extremely successful and an easy way for the legislator to express and voice their opinions to the voters as well as get instant feedback.

Today, social media has a big impact on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates. Many legislators will try to gain media attention on anything possible to get their name out there. With social media, more people are able to see what is going on in the world and also get their views out there as well. That, to me is the biggest impact. In earlier years, I believe not everyone could voice their opinion or would truely know what is going on in the world. The people now, get to see what the candidates are like first hand, and can judge which legislators will best represent their interests.

Today, social media has a big impact on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates. Many legislators will try to gain media attention on anything possible to get their name out there. With social media, more people are able to see what is going on in the world and also get their views out there as well. That, to me is the biggest impact. In earlier years, I believe not everyone could voice their opinion or would truely know what is going on in the world. The people now, get to see what the candidates are like first hand, and can judge which legislators will best represent their interests.

By way of social media, it has become easier for candidates to connect with their constituents. A delegate can now ask his party what his people's views are and also express his own. This has also eliminated the guessing game of a party's views, and the rule of a party by few because so many more people have the ability to share their ideas through social media. Candidates can then choose whether or not to follow their peoples wishes and be re-elected, because they know exactly what their people want.

Social media is media for social interaction as a super-set beyond social communication. Social media can help both the constituents and the legislators by letting each of them to voice their opinion. Its very important for the constituents to express the views. This can be expressed the easiest through social media, to get both views across.

The evolution of social media in the past thirty-three years has played a significant role into the way our legislature does its duty. After the many Americans strived for a more transparent government after the Watergate dilemma, American law makers have taken advantage of social media in a very positive way because they now have the ability to share with the followers that decisions that they make that shape the people they are representing. Also, the people have a voice with social media because they can communicate their opinions openly to their representatives, which allows completely transparent government.

Social media no plays one of the biggest roles amoung our legislators. With all of the things that the world is now allowed to access, the people now have multiple ways to voice their opinions, making it easier for legislators to hear that voice of the people. People have wanted a more accessible way to connect with their representatives, the social media has provided the people with just that and more. Leaving a much more transparent government following the watergate scandal.

The styles of representations have evolved over the years from legislators loosely following the will of the people based on what he was elected for. Now a day, with modern media, information and communication can be spread in a matter of milliseconds. This allows for the public to continue to give legislators an accurate depiction of their views and wants throughout his or her term. The only reason there are still Representation models where a legislator goes off of his beliefs of what is best is because there is so much false information fed to the public. In this day and age, it is completely free for anyone to post information on the internet, just like the recently popular Kony video, which turned out to be backed by a "phony" organization. If legislators were to take political action to remove Kony from Uganda like the video asks them to, America would waste it’s time looking for a man who is presumed to be dead and hasn’t been heard of in 6 years. This is why models of Representation allow for a legislator to still go with what he thinks is best in order to prevent situations like this.-Jack Leonard

Today, social media has a big impact on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates. Legislators are able to gain popularity and get their names known much easier. With social media, people have easy access to information on political issues and world news. The ease that inernet has given us to express our ideas for others to view and discuss has really impacted the process of governemnt. In past years, I feel that not everyone was able to access information with such ease and important aspects of voting and voicing opinions were not availiable. Social media is integrated into the every day lives of so many citezens and now it is much easier to share our beliefs because we hardly need to go out of our way to post our opinions. Now, people are able to get a better knowledge on the issues at hand and be fully exposed to the people who are leading our country.

Social media has changed drastically in the last 33 years. All of the social media has allowed our representatives to more accurately represent the voters’ beliefs. Having social media is a great way to achieve the idea of having the constituents delegates very informed. Now with Facebook, Twitter, websites, and pop-ads it has become a lot easier for the representatives and constituents to keep in touch.

Today, social media is the connector between the people and legislation. Through TV, internet, and even radio, legislators have the ability to express what he/she is doing to help insure that the peoples' wants are being expressed and communicated. It also helps people as a whole understand and see what is happening in government (debates) and learn from those political events so they can be educated on subjects and matters.

Social media has become a great platform for the public, as well as politicians, to voice themselves to the rest of the world. The is a great power to have for both sides, however, there is much responsibility that comes with the power of social media. People such as Congressman Weiner used poor judgement in the ways to use social media and he paid for it when he lost his job. I believe social media is great for legislators because it allows them to really hear what the people have to say, as well as for the people to hear what their legislators have to say.

In the last 30 years social media has had an enormous impact on our government as a whole. The legislature now often uses social media to find out the will's of their constituents. For example we use twitter in gov class to connect with people involved in politics all over the country. Members of the legislature have access to whatever opinions americans voice. This makes politics very efficient because legislatures know exactly what the people are concerned about and their opinions on these concerns. Social Media has evolutionized our government greatly allowing politicians to driectly connect with "we the people." Social media will continue to make the united states operate an effective and efficient government.

Social media has developed into having a positive impact on the way legislators represent their constituents. Today, People have to be more careful about what they say. Anything said, good or bad, by a delegate can instantly travel throughout the whole world. Before the social media age, slight mishaps could be swiped under the rug. Now, almost everything is public information. Social media gives anyone a chance for popularity. Obama used social media tools in and was able to dominate the votes of the younger generation in the 2008 Presidential Election using sites like Facebook. Social Media serves as a filter for getting rid of bad representation in congress. For example, without the internet, Anthony Weiner would still hold a spot as a U.S. Representative and no one would be aware he was having an affair.

Today, social media is a huge factor in the way that legislators represent their constituents. In todays generation, social media is how we all stay connected with the world. Obviously a whole lot has changed since 1979 and for the legislators, its a very good change. Social media helps them get what they believe to persuade people to be directed towards them as a trustee or delegate. When they put something out on the internet, immediately the whole world could see it. It is a quick and easy way to influence people. Also a huge benefit is for them to get feedback from the people. Most social media sources let the people also get involved so it is a huge advantage for them.

Ever since the early 1990s, social media has become a forum where individuals can express their ideas publicly for others to see while having immediate responses from others. The growth in social media has allowed for public outcries to be heard much stronger than ever before. If a legislator wants to pass or enact a law, citizens can express their opinion directly and sway the legislator's decision. Legislators, thanks to social media, have to be aware of the changing ideas in today's culture and behave accordingly to the times. If he/she does not change, the outcry can be heard more strongly then ever before thanks to the use of social media

Within the past several elections social media has had an increasingly large inpact on elections. The more media outlets that are used and the more often they are posted in the more the peoples and legislators views are expressed. The social media allows for legislators to gather the public opinion in a more hollisitic manner. Many views are espressed and in a mass manner. Social Media has allowed for the will of the people to be further expressed.

Only a decade ago, most people were still getting used to the idea of cell phones, text messages, and social media interactions. Now, we are witnessing the vast expansion and evolution of social media to the extent that it is reshaping the way people engage in the political process. The social media has not only become the easiest, quickest, and most efficient way of communication, but a direct source of information based completely on the opinions and desires of the people. Constant attention has pushed Legislature to incorporated many popular aspects of social media to capture the attention of its constituents. Social media has become an easy source for representatives to identify the will of the people and to represent them as either delegates or trustees. The important factor that social media has provided is that legislator can express the will of the people and still develop new ideas in a quick and concrete method.

Social media has a very positive impact on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates. Through , social networks (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), internet, and phone calls, the public has the ability to quickly and easily express their point of view on specific issues, so the legislators know where the constituents stand and can vote accordingly.

Social Media has impacted every aspect of our lives, including how legislators represent their constituents. Through social media, both the legislators and the constituents are more informed. When constituents are more informed, they make better educated opinions. In reverse, with media like twitter, legislators can stay in tough with their constituents and better represent opinions. The negative is that some forms of media can have too much power and become overpowering and invasive. Social media has changed the way everyone communicates, including legislators and constituents.

Social media has officially transformed the way legislators and constituents interact. Due to the use of the internet and other forms of social media, legislators are able to deliver their message in a more efficient way. Now, constituents can hear what legislators have to say and legislators can hear what constituents have to say and one doesn’t have to always meet face to face. Social media allows legislators to voice their opinion to the entire public, as to just small groups of people. In the United States we have two political parties, the Republican Party and the Democratic Party. On TV it is seen that some new channels favor the Republicans and some news channels favor the democrats. Even though this is the case, when legislators put themselves out there to speak in front of their constituents, it builds a sense of trust and will greatly impact our country’s politics in a positive way.

In today's world, the internet and social media is bigger than ever. Not only have these things changed the way we interact with our peers but also with our representatives, and how they connect with us. Today representatives via twitter, blogs, forums etc., can see and interact with the debates and arguments which are happening in the real world today. In the years prior to the development of social media or even the internet, Legislators did not receive nearly as much feedback, ergo were forced to react upon their own intellect; rather than the will of the people. Legislators at a click of their button are now able to see how people view what they are doing, and get feedback on what they may need to improve on. But this isn't only a one way street! Legislators are also able to announce new ideas to their constituents and work on solving their problems. The social media is not just for the constituents to come into contact with their legislators, but also for the legislators to come into contact with their constituents. With the new technology of today and the newly found interaction via social media, the future of our democracy appears brighter than ever.

Today, legislators have the powerful tool of social media to spread their image and to gather opinions. Legislators can use Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, etc. to gain fame. Legislators can sponsor their material for many and they can post about issues or campaign for a fee. Also, legislators have the power to see the opinions of people through a Facebook group or a hashtag on Twitter. With this information, the legislator can use this knowledge to become the best possble delegate one can be by gathering the opinions of many.

They way in which social media has impacted representative government today is astounding. With the power of social media, the people have the ability to ensure that their voices are heard. In my opinion, this opportunity has made it the duty of congressmen to listen and adhere to what their constituents are saying, and make decisions accordingly. Social media helps put citizens at ease to know that their representatives know exactly what they want enacted in government.

Being a legislature as a delegate is a lot easier now with social media. Legislature as a delegate is all about representing and standing for what the people want. It is so much easier to stand for what the people want when you have social media because you can easily see how people feel. There are so many social media sites out there and ways for people to express how they feel about government that as a legislature it is east to see what people want. This helps people have a voice in government because they can show what they want from the delegate and he can do his best to provide that for them. Social media has a positive affect on government in they way that it allows the ordinary person a chance for his views to be represented.

It has always been important for legislators to not only be heard by their people, but to hear their people also. With the new social media, legislators can not only have people see their campaign and hear about in may different spectrums, but also for them to know what people are thinking. On sources such as facebook and twitter, regular citizens can tell their government what they want to see changed. A recent example was the Kony 2012 campaign that was trying to get the government to send troops into Uganda to find Joseph Kony. In years past, this would never have been an issue. Furthermore, in the new technological world, legislators can e viewed better than before by their supporters. They can run commercials, ads, interviews, etc. Due to all the new social media, out legislators know what we think, and we know what our legislators are doing.

There is no denying that the influence of social media has changed the entire political world. So the natural question that comes to mind is "is this a good thing or a bad thing?" The use of social media in politics is clearly a good thing. With the use of social media, politicians are able to get publicity in ways not previously available, and the people who will be potentially voting for someone in a race can take a look at their campaign platform while they are doing whatever they do on the internet. Social media has made it easier for the people to get to know their delegates. And in turn, through the use of Facebook pages, twitter, etc. the legislators are getting to hear more public opinions than they would be without the use of social media. So because opinions and ideas can be more easily spread with the use of social media, social media helps develop a better relationship between the delegates and the citizens, and therefore is a good thing because after all, the United States is supposed to be by the people and for the people.

Social media has not only been an impact on the way friends and relatives interact with eachother but it has also greatly impacted how we interact and communicate with our government and political figures. Because the duties of both the delegates and trustees are to act on the desires and needs of their citizens, the internet is the most accessible form of retrieving those opinions. Now that we have social networking sites like twitter, google, youtube, facebook and personal blogs it gives our chance to not only speak our minds but to also see the progress that their legislators are making to reach the goal the citizens have made for him.

Social media makes the job of the legislator much easier in two ways. The first way is that it makes it easier for the legislator to get the attention of potential voters and constituents. It gives the legislator a way to advertise themselves and gain attention from constituents. An example of this is following political figures on Twitter in class. This way we can see their beliefs and decide whether or not we support them. The second way that social media makes the job of the legislator easier is that it is a way that the legislator can find out the views of constituents and change the campaign accordingly. If a legislator is on Facebook, and they see that many people are supporting one subject, say, by becoming a fan, they can advertise this subject more in their campaign and, therefore, gain more voters.

Social media has a huge impact on all of politics today. It has given candidates for all positions the ability of mass social awareness. Through social media, people can voice their opinions that they previously could not, at least not as freely or easily. Likewise, candidates can voice updates on their campaign and reinforce the comfort among the people by letting them know that he or she hears them and knows what they want. The question is if legislators stay true to those who show support, and that is the basis of all elections; who can we trust the most. This is a good thing not only for candidates but for the nation as a whole as we strive to truly become a government for the people and by the people.

The impact of social media is tremendous on several aspects of society today, including politics. It is a tool that is used to the advantage of many legislators in order to promote their campaign and gain support. Whether it's through Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube, these site portray the attractive qualities of each of these legislators and allow them to gather a larger support group. Legislators that act as trustees utilize social media to get out their unique ideas, seeing as they can override the voice of the people with their own judgement. Delegates on the other hand, would use social media specifically to spread the voice of the public so that uniformed citizens can see what the popular belief is.

The impact of social media is tremendous on several aspects of society today, including politics. It is a tool that is used to the advantage of many legislators in order to promote their campaign and gain support. Whether it's through Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube, these site portray the attractive qualities of each of these legislators and allow them to gather a larger support group. Legislators that act as trustees utilize social media to get out their unique ideas, seeing as they can override the voice of the people with their own judgement. Delegates on the other hand, would use social media specifically to spread the voice of the public so that uniformed citizens can see what the popular belief is.

Social media has made the decision on how legislators represent their constituents very different. Through social media, constituents are more aware of what is going on in the world. Legislators can send out what they are feeling about an issue through social media and receive feedback from their constituents. Social media gives people passionate about an issue the opportunity to send the legislator information. Therefore the legislator can be partially a delegate and partially a trustee. Social media helps bring the two ways of representation together.

The social media helps out the legislature so much. It helps the legislature to promote their campaign and gain support. These are mainly found through the three most used sites on the web, Facebook, YouTube, and twitter. With the legislature acting as a delegate, and following the views that the people want, both counteract within each other making an even more powerful source. Obama used media tools and was able to rake in the votes of the younger population in the 2008 election. Social media has given the legislature a way to widely express themselves and gain more votes. - Donovan Owens

Today's evolving technological world can be both a curse and a saving grace. First off, the social networking system can serve as a pathway of information between the legislators and their constituents. This can be a helpful tool because it allows the voice of the people to be openly spread into the online world, eventually making its way to the legislators. A simple hashtag on twitter, tag in a post on Facebook, or web-blog can spread opinions with ease. This allows the legislators to be continually informed of the public opinion and helps them with making decisions based on the people's desires. However, this networking world can also serve in a negative way. Sometimes thoughts become viral that are not representative of the entire population, just those who are extremely passionate about the topic. When this occurs, the legislators are provided with false information about the population as a whole and may make the wrong decision for the nation as a whole. In conclusion, social networking, although helpful in the spread of public opinions, can also serve as a negative influence upon legislators.

Social media has made the decision on how legislators represent their constituents very different and definitely has a huge impact. Social media helps constituents become more aware of what is going on in the world. Legislators can send out what they are feeling and their own opinions about an issue through social media and receive feedback and comments from their constituents which is all in all very helpful. Social media gives people a reason to become involved in an issue and gives people the opportunity to send the legislator information. The legislator, because of this cycle, can be partially a delegate and partially a trustee. Social media definitely has a huge impact on legislation.

Social media has come quite a long qay thinking of all the ways we receive information today, via internet, smart phones, TV, radio, etc. Social media has impacted how legislators go about representing the constituents. Having a personal website makes it so much easy for constituents to go read and understand what their views are for different topics.

Due to the acsessibility of social media to the masses, it is beneficial to not only the candidate, but the masses as well. The masses get to express their opinions through forms like Facebook and Twitter but also allows them to stay informed with current issues. The legislators can keep the public's opinion in mind very easily because it is virtually everywhere. Since there is no excuse for one to be under-informed, hopefully all of the public will be opinionated enough to vote for their candidate! Due to the growth of social media, candidates will have an easier time reaching out toward the masses.-Brooke Bode

The effects of the progress in social media are more and more apparent as time goes on. In the world of politics, these effects could not be more positive. Through sites such as Twitter and Google+ legislators have become more and more connected to their constitutes. With the sharing of ideas through becoming easier and easier, legislators are able to represent their constituents better and better. They are able to represent all the views of their voters, rather than only the ones of extremists who make the effort to go to the legislator directly.

There is a good impact because as a democratic country, there is a need for the constituents to know what their representation’s ideas are and learn if their vote for the legislator was a well thought one or just a wrong decision. Of course, media does not always give the positive side of a person’s personal life but legislators should know that the media is getting bigger and faster so being careful is an advice I give. Still, having massive communications is essential for an American life since it still includes us in the government making a good impact.

The rise of technology in our digital age has greatly changed the relationship between legislators and constituents. Legislators can now acts as delegates rather than trustees in a more accurate manner. Legislators now can hear the voices of nearly all American people through online polls, petitions, Twitter, Facebook and blogs. A recent example can be seen in the SOPA and PIPA proposals that created turmoil on the web. Websites such as Wikipedia urged citizens to sign a petition and contact their state representatives/congressmen to protect freedom of speech, file sharing and communication on the web. The internet is a catalyst of communication that helps the political process be more on target with issues around the nation, not just Washington D.C. In addition, the information technology helps people become more involved in the political system because current events, policy and political campaigns are unavoidable.

Today, social media has a tremendous impact on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates. Social media allows legislators to connect with their constituents much easier and efficiently. It is much easier for people to get a better, well-rounded understanding of what legislators support and believe with the multitude of resources available. For example, by looking at a legislator’s twitter page, it is a quick and easy way to understand their general beliefs. Not only can legislators easily share their views, the public is able to comment or share their opinions with other voters and can show their support for legislators. In general, social media has become a quick and efficient method for legislators to communicate their ideas.

In my opinion i believe that social media directly affects the way they represent us mainly through blogs and videos and mainly twitter and Facebook. For example now they can log onto twitter or Facebook and feel connected to their candidate because they can post directly to people and constantly give updates on what they are doing and views on different subject. Social media helps them majorly because they can connect to a broad span of voters, instead of having to walk door to door or write they can contact all voters at once.Jeff D.

In my opinion i believe that social media directly affects the way they represent us mainly through blogs and videos and mainly twitter and Facebook. For example now they can log onto twitter or Facebook and feel connected to their candidate because they can post directly to people and constantly give updates on what they are doing and views on different subject. Social media helps them majorly because they can connect to a broad span of voters, instead of having to walk door to door or write they can contact all voters at once.Jeff D.

With social media currently at a level never before imagined, legislators are now able to serve the people quicker and more effectively than ever before. As this new tool continues to grow, legislators should be able to connect with their constituents more. The ideas and beliefs of the people are now able to be heard and understood more efficiently, along with the public being informed from using the internet. Social media will also be able to be harnessed to inform the public on decisions made by legislators that affect them directly. This will allow for legislators to be more of a delegate to the people while also acting as a trustee when necessary and allowing for the trustee to explain his reasoning to the citizens he contradicted.

Social Media is very useful, but at the same time could be a burden. Legislators have so many ways to share their points and ideas, thanks to the large social media. However, the constituents also have this outlet to voice their opinion, which in a way is great, but also troubling. With the constituents able to voice their voice, this informs the legislators on what the ideas of the constituents are. From here the legislator could either stick to his personal ideas or change his points in order for them to be more appealing to the voters, even if he does not fully agree with them. Overall, the growing social media is a great source of keeping everyone updated and connected.

The use of social media in politics is rapidly expanding and connecting with people now more than ever before. People are more informed about current issues than they once were decades ago. Our current use of technology by means of text messaging, blogging, ads, emails, popular social media websites keep people up-to-date and educated about current issues and topics all over the world. The use of social media in politics by constituents as well as legislators themselves can create a positive impact on people’s views. Social media is a great way for legislators to gain popularity and support by connecting with people on websites that people go on every single day. They can read about people’s concerns and views in order to effectively target what the people want. For constituents, social media gives people an easily-accessed way of being involved with the political process and expressing what they want. The use of social media is changing the way we connect with others everyday and is a powerful tool for candidates to stay up-to-date and to aid their campaigning. -Danielle W

I believe the role of the media has a huge impact on the election of representatives and other political offices. With the varies ways available to spread and obtain information representatives can easily show there concerns on certain issues and gain support not only from those who know much politics but those who don't, such as the youth. With all these new methods of sharing opinions representatives can ensure people that their beliefs are those of the people who will elect them. With the large amount of information being spread it has become easy for people to see where representatives will stand if elected and the decisions between electing a delegate or trustee becomes easier as well.

Today, social media is the one thing that keeps people connected. As a constituent, it is their duty to stay connected with the legislators, whether the legislators are trustees or delegates. Everyone uses at least one form of social media, whether it is twitter or Facebook. Through this, news updates and opinions on current events are constantly being filtered. We as the people are directly connected to politicians, and, with the help of social media, have easy access to educate the legislators about what the constituents want to see in our nation.

Today, social media is the one thing that keeps people connected. As a constituent, it is their duty to stay connected with the legislators, whether the legislators are trustees or delegates. Everyone uses at least one form of social media, whether it is twitter or Facebook. Through this, news updates and opinions on current events are constantly being filtered. We as the people are directly connected to politicians, and, with the help of social media, have easy access to educate the legislators about what the constituents want to see in our nation.

Social media has enabled us to become better connected than ever before. Because of the many forms that social media takes, more than 90% (http://www.blurtit.com/q540527.html) of our world has the privilege to become not only informed but also educated about current issues. Other types of social networking such as online polls, facebook groups etc. grant us the ability to voice our beliefs. This powerful connection that social media has created allows for constituent's to keep their delegates informed so that the delegates can effectively respond and carry out the peoples desires. Social media can also be associated with negative connotations. However, we must look past the few occurrences and appreciate the connection that we now have between the constituents and their legislators (both trustees and delegates).

Social media has forever changed the way in which constituents and legislators communicate, operate, and stay connected with one another. Social media sites, such as Google, Twitter, and Facebook, ensure a more informed public and a more responsive government. Methods, such as blogs, petitions, emails, and ads serve as successful connections between constituents and legislators. Through these methods, constituents are able to inform delegates of their views and voice their opinions. In addition, delegates and trustees are able to see and hear the opinions of their constituents, and respond to those opinions in a quick and efficient manner. Legislators should use social media sites to their advantage in order to gain more support and educate citizens about their campaigns. Overall, I believe that social media should play an enormous role in the way that legislators and constituents communicate and work together in order to create a better America.

Social media has taken on an immense role in communication and the sharing of beliefs. Through the development of local and national news, the internet and sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google, along with newspapers and many other forms of social media, the people are able to freely express their desires and needs. With the recent development of the social media, the legislators feel more compelled to act as delegates and follow the interests and opinions expressed by the people. The social media provides the people with new and more accessible methods of contacting the legislators and expressing their interests. Through receiving and understanding a wider range of the peoples’ opinions, the legislators act as delegates and are capable of representing the people as a whole.

Legislators today have an added advantage using social media to allow them to spread their thoughts and ideas in a faster more efficient way. Social media has not only increased the voters access to their elected officials, it is also being used by many legislators to promote their campaigns, and to get their message out. The true impact of this new form of communication in the political world will be greatly felt in the upcoming presidential election. Social media is beneficial for citizens because it allows their voices to be heard and it allows them to follow their representatives and make sure they are doing what is expected of them.

In this generation, the creation of social media has presented a unique platform on modern politics. Through T.V., social networking sites and the radio, candidates now have the ability to communicate with their potential voters about his or her ideas and deliver their messages in a more efficient manner. Social media also allows the legislator to interact with the constituents. It also permits the constituents to voice their opinion about what they believe is important or needs to be changed in our society.

Social media includes web-based and mobile technologies used to turn communication into interactive dialogue according to Wikipedia.org. In my mind, social media has two distinct impacts to the candidates and their constituents. First, with our social media today, it seems to be very hard for the candidates to hide or get away from all the various types of media exposure. Any candidates actions will be immediately blogged or posted making it publicized meaning ultimately the candidates can’t hide from their actions, good or bad. Secondly, each candidate must incorporate the new fads of this era including twitter, facebook and other social media to stay in contact with all the different constituents that the candidates are trying to get to vote for them. This is fairly important to maintain a competitive edge among the various candidates. Preston K.

Opinions on the impact of social media sway from beneficial all the way to negative. I believe that social media should have a good impact on the way legislators represent their constituents. Wether it be a post on a legislators facebook page or a hash tag on a Tweet, social media provides a way for all constituents to express their views to their legislators. When a legislator can see all their constituents opinions, then they can take those opinions and represent them in government. Overall, social media provides an easily accessible way for constituents to have their views represented in the government.

Social media Can assist legislators in interpreting the views of the people. Social media also can be used to represent the views of legislators and it also has the power to influence and sway the views of the people.overall social media can be a helpful tool in relaying information to and from legislators.

I believe that social media has a large scale effect on todays election process. This is because Facebook and Twitter are free ways for candidates to get their ideals and platforms across to voters all over the united states with minimal loss. Social media needs to keep its importance in our election process because without the use of social media, many Americans would not understand a candidates intentions.

Today, social media has a bigger effect in the election process then it ever has before. Things such as TV ads, websites, emails, and phone calls are all ways that social media has been used today to help express the ideas of the representative in such a way that connects to their constituents. It is important for both the Legislator and representative to express their beliefs to the public, and today it is made easier through social media.

Today, the social media is larger than it has ever been before, and people, especially the generation I am apart of, is not afraid to speak it's mind, especially throughout social media. These things could be used to the representatives advantage if used properly. The representative must carefully attack these issues in ways that target us and our future possibilities and the same as generations that are older than ours and younger than ours. Social media could also be a great way for the representatives to connect on what the constituents want and expect out of a leader that will represent him, twitter is a huge sensation and with that i believe if a representative simply stated an open ended question, the constituents would get involved. The impact that social media should have today on the way legislators represent us is on a larger scale because we speak our minds on these social media cites and that is to their full advantage if used wisely.

Social media is a useful tool to legislators, officials, and representatives who speak on behalf of their people. It is a helpful tool when election time is near, because due to tv and internet the views of the candidate seem clear. Social media should be a place where the people get to know their officials and the officials gain support through talking and advertisements. If candidates attack and use social media wrong though, it backfires and loses support. Social media should be a useful thing, not a place to take advantage of.

I believe that it is the delegates duty to keep their voters informed with their beliefs. Almost everyone uses a source of social media, weather it be on their phone, tv, computer, tablet, news paper, or magazine. Everyone is connected some how now-a-days, which means the use of social media by a legislator is smart because it would be easy to constantly educated the people on their political views. Americans are always being updated by the use of the media which alows them to be directly connected to politicians, alwing the politicians to constantly inform the viewers.-Chris M.

I believe that social media plays a very important role for legislators today. Social media is a key platform for legislators to spread and promote their ideas to the public. It allows the legislators to connect with his voters and potential voters, allowing a bond to form. Social media works the other way around too. People can now publish their opinions online, some can spread like wildfire. People can create online petitions or let their legislator know their views on various issues.

You would think that with ALL the sources we have today our Legislators would be able to represent their constituents as trustees and delegates today efficiently. Social media is apart of the majority of lives today. Daily people watch commercials, read blogs and are tuned into the news. Each individuals thoughts are effected by the social media which CAN make it extremely to stream the effect the legislators are trying to represent. On the other hand it can be quite beneficial if used properly. BUt there is always the risk of false representation by an opposing force.

Social media has changed the way people around the world communicate. Facebook, twitter, and the news broadcasts are common methods legislatures can use to grab the attention of their constituents. These methods are successful because social media plays a great impact on everyone’s life today. The main goal of legislatures is to express their views along with the views of the public. These two goals can easily be met with the help of social media because it allows the constituents to understand the legislature’s views and the legislatures to learn about the constituent’s views. -Cate Crowe

In the world we live in today, technology and social media are essential for any important representative of government. The technology we live in today makes it easy for representatives to know what the people want. It is easy for people to stand up for what they believe in, because technology allows them to voice their opinions virally. The same thing happens in reverse. Social media makes it easier for voters to find more about potential candidates. Representatives can make television ads, post views on twitter, and make a group on Facebook. This makes it a ton easier for voters to stay updated on any presidential race and for candidates to express their views.

Social media has truly changed the modern world and the way we interact. It's a quick and easy way to give and receive information, if used knowledgeably and responsibly. The impact social media should have on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates today is a positive one. It's a great way to voice opinions and decisions. In order to be successful, legislators should use social media responsibly and carefully, and know what they're doing when they use it. The impact can truly be phenomenal with consistent, knowledgeable usage.

In our community, social media plays a very important role through each individual's life. Through emails, phone calls, advertisements, or Facebook, social media is an efficient way to give and receive information to anyone. To be successful, legislators should use social media in order to help win their constituents as well as obtaining information. This would be very beneficial if constituents send back helpful comments to their legislatures. Overall, social media has evolved a new era and it would be helpful to legislatures and their constituents.

Social media has become one of the main resources for people to be informed today. From facebook, emails, phone calls and ads has made it very easy for a representatives voice and ideas to be heard. It has opened up many doors and helps keep Americans in the loop. Although social media is one sided and at sometimes shuns other ideas, it is a very helpful tool for legislators that everyone is involved in and is familiar with.

In the world that we live in today, one has to communicate through social media in order to attract young voters. Personally, I think it's informal and I'd rather see a news broadcast or a speech than a tweet or Facebook group. The number of adults that watch the news definitely outweigh the number of young adults who do so politicians can still be successful if they continue to use the news and media to cover their campaign or current event. But they do have to use alternitive social media outlets in order to get the young votes.

Social media has evolved very greatly over the past few decades. Facebook, twitter, and other blogging websites are all now a large part of the policital campaigning process. These websites allow an easy way for both trustees to express their opinons to the people, and for delegates to hopefully express the opinions of the constituents. In todays modern time, for a sucsessful campaign, social media must be used, and used effectively

Social media should have a very big impact to help legislators represent their constituents better. With almost everyone in the world utilizing some source of social media including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube; the constituents have many avenues to express themselves about political issues. With their opinions being widely publicized, it should be easier for the legislators to do research on what their constituents’ wishes are and adjust accordingly. Overall, social media should be a big tool for legislators to discover what their constituents’ wants are by the constituents voicing their opinions.

Social media plays a huge role in todays world. It has had an enormous impact on the way people do things now and also the way people are exposed to new ideas and such. Politicians have taken advantage of the way people use social media, which is a huge benefit to them. Through the social media the trustees can easily get there ideas and policies to the people that they are targeting. It is very important for the legislators to get their ideas to the people, and the social media has become one of the most effective ways to do this.

Social Media is a very influential in many different branches of todays government. There are various ways to connect and follow the legislators on the internet in our time. It influences many of the legislators to do more of the what the people want rather than own goals because of the social media craze. The use of trusting this legislators and voting for them shows that the media should probably not have as big of an impact as it does. Before it was very impactful, the delegates did what they wanted (which could have been a poor thing) but what they wanted was normally right for the people and their party. Social media is really important and helps shapes the delegates that we have today.

Many factors play into the ways social media have caused the legislator as trustee to be debated. For example, social media allows for voting citizens to have a much much closer look inside what goes on in politics, it magnifies every political move by every politician. This being said, the trustee is a less popular option today due to this reason. The legislator as a delegate is the more popular option, and will continue to be this way for years to come.

Social Media is only going to continue into our future therefor our government should start using social media to their advantages. Most of the younger generations are on social media websites most of the time and seeing small snippets of stories or important information causing younger kids to get involved and interested in stories they may never look at if it weren’t for social media sites. Overall social media has evolved a new era and should be taken way more serious. -Megan Reynolds

Social networking lies at the very core of modern opportunities for today’s politicians to effectively and efficiently engage with their constituents. It allows, through dedicated social networks, the perfect place to raise campaign funds, coordinate volunteers and personnel, organize rallies and events, provide for constituent engagement and feedback, as well as gather both qualitative and quantitative information on constituents and their desires. For instance, proposed policy and compelling content can be posted to a legislator’s blog and/or video site where constituents can review at their leisure and leave comments. Also, the ability to gauge attendance through automatic confirmations, invite guests, update event information, load photos and other multi-media information is a vital resource for any politician who is organizing an event. All of this made simple through the quick and affordable use of technology. These benefits of utilizing social media also allow for the efficient development of a legislator’s policy and buy-in from their constituents while aiding in increased transparency of the government on whole. On the negative sides, social media’s explosion exacerbates the possibility for information overload. Even with all of this data at a legislator’s finger tips, it is impossible to adequately consume the thousands of emails, blog comments, Twitters, and Facebook posts such that, in reality, the majority of the communication is left to the synthesis of the legislator’s staff.

Despite all of the advantages that the modern social media revolution can provide to the political playing field, I do not believe it will significantly impact the model of representation that legislators choose to represent their constituents. Essentially, those who view themselves as delegates will continue to view themselves as delegates, but with a new universal infrastructure to receive “instructions” from their constituents and familiarize themselves with the needs and desires of the people. Those who view themselves as trustees will continue to view themselves as trustees, but with a greater bank of input from the masses to consider when making their calculated decisions as to what would be best for the long-term interests of the nation. Those who view themselves in the middle ground of models of legislative representation—possibly a politico model or conscience model—will continue to do so. For all legislators, however, the rise of social media should increase a sense of accountability for all. Drawing legislators closer to the mass they represent, social media should be able to reinvigorate the representative system, encouraging legislators to work harder for a people with whom they now have a closer relationship while allowing a greater number of citizens to take part in their government that may have seemed foreign only a short time prior. With all hope, the rise of social media will have a similar effect to the rise of politics on the radio and on television: “to revitalize representative democracy.”

The social media takes ideas from the people to such extremes so that they may be entertaining to the average viewer. When a representative sees these ideas and expressions from his/her area of jurisdiction expressed in their most extreme, it will most likely have a larger impact on decision-making than a lone person trying to portray his point. The media also consolidates all information, real or fake, into a small area, making it easier to access public opinion. This can make identifying areas of concern easier for a politician. When a legislator can figure out how to filter the important from the irrelevant, they can use the media as a source to help them better represent the public.

Social media can be a useful tool for communication, it can help legislators better understand the will of their constituencies’. Unfortunately, whether or not social media is able to create an environment of unfettered and educated communication remains to be seen. While it has definitely become easier to communicate with a legislative body, the effectiveness of “tweeting” and confining our thoughts to 140 characters may not fully convey political opinions. Social media can most certainly be used as a tool, but an outpouring of opinions that are difficult to interpret may not be undeniably positive for the legislator attempting to connect with his constituents.

I think that social media is a tool that legislators can use to their advantage, to make sure they are receiving the message their constituents are trying to tell them. By simply setting up an account on any social media site, like Twitter, Facebook, etc, they are setting up a way for the public to share their opinions. Since it is the legislature's job to represent what the people think, social media should be a helpful tool in their endeavors. Also, it is normally very difficult to find out how every single person feels about every single topic, this would provide a quick, easy way for the legislators to find out the opinions of their people.

Social media should be used as a tool for the trustee's and delegates to gather data on how they are preforming and on the true opinions and feelings of the constituents. Social media as a whole can be used as a massive hub for communication between the legislators and those they represent, and while it has started to become this, the legislators need to stop focusing on using it as an attack tool to post or tweet about the downfalls and missteps taken by their opponents, if the continue to use it in this way they are no better than some 14 year old gossipy school girls. They need to focus on the practical uses of connecting with those who have entrusted them with our nation.

In today's world, any sort of barrier between a voter and his or her representative has been broken down. Instead of taking the time to write a letter to my Congressman, I could send him an email or tweet at him in less than a couple minutes. This increased contact between the people and their representatives should, in theory, allow legislators to represent the will of those he or she represents. Now that almost everyone is online in some fashion, the people can express their will easily and representatives can find out that will easily.

Social media is undeniably one of the most powerful resources for politicians today. These sites allow legislators to more personally, quickly, and effectively communicate with the American population as a whole, their constituents. Polls, general sentiments, and overall attitude can certainly be assessed via these evolving tools. It is arguable, however, if this data should be taken into serious consideration - given that anyone can post their (sometimes uneducated) opinion for the world to see. It will be the job of our generation to come to a definitive conclusion about how much social media plays a role in the constituents' voice to the delegates of our time.

Social media should hold a positive and beneficial connotation to it because it is an efficient way to spread ideas and information. Many of the styles of representation involve some sort of interaction with the public constituents, therefore sharing information is an essential. The mutual sharing of opinions and information between the two parts of legislation is necessary to take proper action on events. Social media has been integrated into everyday life and is used nationally. It is familiar and overall an easy way to communicate, that that is highly important if someone is to "represent" a body of people.

I believe that social media is good for legislators and their constituents. Legislators can use various types of social media to send out their message to their people and to gain support through a broad base of people using those social media sites. It has definitely become much easier for legislators to also receive the messages of their constituents. On the other hand, sometimes, messages are misrepresented in various social media media forms. The tone can be misinterpreted because if one is posting on a website, it is difficult to see the tone either the legislator or the constituent meant to use it in. Social media is definitely helpful in many ways to both legislators and their constituents, but it can also cause problems due to misinterpretation.

Social media can be as easily a tool of greatness, as a tool of destruction. In the case for legislators, it can be used positively as a tool to receive comments and feedback from their constituents by using social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter. This very use of social media sites can also draw criticism from the people, and would provide a link between the constituents. Overall, I believe that the positives outweigh the negatives. The ability for a legislator to connect with their constituents is now possible with the rise of social media. Social media is a highly beneficial for legislators and their constituents, and will only grow into bigger and better things.

Social media can and should be used as a tool to be used by the delegates and trustees so that they can have a better understand and connection to the people that they represent. Having the internet at their fingertips can only help them know what others are thinking when it comes to certain issues. They will not have to wait as long to hear how the people feel about certain issues. While it can be good in other cases it can be bad as well. If the delegates and trustees go against the popular will of what the people who elected them want than the people have a quicker and easier time finding out about this. If they use social media to its fullest abilities than it can only be used for good.

Social media exposes a legislator's every move. They post opinions on Twitter, pictures on Facebook and are surrounded by paparazzi on a daily basis. Because of this,today's legislators need to take more of their actions into account than just during official government events. Even a simple action, such as throwing paper into a trash can, could drastically change their support by the people. What if the legislator was elected because he supported being environmentally friendly? This small action, spread like a virus by social media, could ruin his campaign.

Social media in this day and age should be very helpful and advantageous to them. The internet gives legislatures more information about the general public and their opinions, which should influence the legislature's judgment and actions. The public also get to read and learn about the legislature much more quicker than before since social media is practically everywhere. Rather than having to wait for the news to cover the legislature's input, the people can look it up in the blink of an eye and respond to it as well, causing a cycle of information to be shared between the two. Social media used properly makes a great impact between the public and legislatures.

The legislatures have the world as their disposal and it is a very powerful resource. There is no way to describe the entire impact except that the possibilities are endless. The legislatures have a harder time being themselves because the whole world is watching them. So they need to be careful about everything. Overall they will have an easier time communicating with their constituents and the whole world.

In this day and age, the social media has a huge impact on politics. It could be a great opportunity for politicians to spread their view and argument for the good of the nation and the whole world but it could also be detrimental to their reputation as well. Legislators and delegates are on thin ice when it comes to social media, anything they say could be taken out of proportion to hurt their rep. They need to pay meticulous attention to what they say and how it should reflect what their intention as delegate or trustee should be. Good delegate and trustees can draw a fine line between themselves and the other representative. They should be able to use the social media to their advantage rather than fear of it hurting their reputation. There is no doubt that social media has put stress upon these two positions to perform as scrupulous as they can be.

Social Media plays a huge part in our every day lives. Both negative and positive. With regards to politics, social media can act as a medium for the citizens to relay their beliefs, but it can also clutter politics with spam and political trolls. Getting your direct thoughts to a wide variety of people so that they may be considered in order to better our nation is an important part of a democratic nation. Social media can help to allow citizens who may not have much prominence to get their voice heard by a representative that has the ability to make a change. That is a positive role that social media could play but with trolls and fake accounts people can release an evil "alter-ego" so to speak on the internet and they use social media to mask them and they just try to cause problems. So all in all, social media has the potential to better our identity as a democratic nation, but a few may ruin it for all.

Social media should be used as a beneficial tool to communicate constituents’ interests. But that really isn’t the case. Right now, social networking sites are screaming at our legislators. The constant stream of information can be very helpful in finding out what the people want, but in many ways it is simply too much. The immense amount a data to filter through is overwhelming. Social media should be used to convey the citizens’ interests while promoting political discussions and providing new, innovative solutions to current problems. It is an immense resource that politicians should use to their benefit. But it is hard to filter through all the clutter. Whether or not social media will be used in that way and to that orderly extent is yet to be seen.

Socia media has to potential to be a great tool in Politics. However, it has turned the focus of the government towards publicity and reputation. Take the election for example. News stations broadcasted the stories of the two candidates rather than their technical details and power to actually lead. This is partly our fault, as the people. I mean how interesting would the news be if it broadcasted stories on tax rates be rather than a sex scandal? The misuse of the social media falls on the people, not necessarily the Politicians. If we could use the media effectively, the sky is the limit for America.

Social media is a great tool to allow the legislators to understand the opinions of their constituents quickly and connect with the general public. It can be a great tool to message constituents, and gain supporters. However, like Tori said the amount of data is almost too overwhelming. The slew of negative comments, and the unrelated discussions in media prevent legislators to truly see what the constituents want. The media is a powerful source, however, it can not expand until we can filter through the unless amounts of information.

Social media plays a huge role in our every day lives. It is a great way for politicians to spread their ideas and views on everything for the good of our nation, but there are also negative sides about social media. Legislators and delegates always need to be careful when it comes to social media, because anything they say, can be misleading no matter what. I feel as if once America is able to use social media the right way instead of misusing it, then anything is possible for America.

Social media should have a positive impact on the way legislators represent their constituents as trustees and delegates today. Facebook and Twitter are both social media components where citizens have the ability to voice their opinions and form direct connections between themselves and their representative. Components such as these also allow a legislator to gain support of people from all over. In order to succeed, a legislator must reach out to the public and keep the constituents ideas in mind when making a decision that affects them. He can only do this with utilizing what social media offers.

The social media is both a benefit and disadvantage to legislators. Legislators must represent the opinion of many people. It is extremely simple to go on Facebook or Twitter and easily find out the opinion of the constituents. But, this doesn’t necessarily mean that every person agrees with that opinion. What if Facebook users seem to show one opinion and then another individual thinks differently? The legislator represents all the people in one area, not just a majority. Social media can be an advantage, but may portray one opinion more than another.

Social media plays a huge role in our everyday lives. Social media should be a great tool for the legislators and let them understand what the constituents want. Social media allows them to connect with the general public. Although there are a lot of positive benefits of using social media there are also some negatives. Social media is a great tool to let the legislator get their word out to the constituents but then they have to be very careful what they write or put on the web. They may write something that is misleading which can reflect them negatively. Overall, social media should have a positive impact on the way legislators represent their constituents but just have to be careful what they put online.

The use of social media between a legislator and his constituents can create a positive expression of opinions and ideas. Although there is always a threat of impersonation, bias, and lies over social media. Legislators should put full effort into communicating with his or her voters and social media is a quick and easy way to stay updated. If a delegate or trustee wants to keep up with his constituents, social media is the most effective way for them to stay informed in the 21st century. They also need to keep their constituents updated as well, using social media. The constant streaming, posting, and communicating over social media can help a legislator represent their constituents even more accurately.

I believe that a sole duty of the constituents is to keep their delegates as up to date and informed as possible, and what's an easier way to do it than through social media? It has changed the way people work, think, and act through the ability to connect and socialize using text messages, emails, phone calls, websites like Facebook and Twitter, etc. With social media, more and more people can easily get their views out to the public with thousands of people standing by to give instant feedback. That is the biggest thing for me. The speed at which users can post or send and receive solid feedback within seconds. With the evolution of social media, more people are more aware of current issues and can be fully exposed to the leaders of our country. As for the legislators, I believe that with the use of websites, ads, Facebook, etc., they are that much more aware of what the people have to say.

Social media should act as an influential tool for delegates and trustees today. The power and influence of these social media websites is continuing to rise. These social media websites(Twitter, Facebook, etc.) are a great way for legislators to connect with the people. These websites also allow for ideas to be shared and seen for both the constituents and the legislators. Social media is slowly evolving to be an important factor in our modern political world.

Social media is an important tool that legislators can use in order to spread their ideas and opinions. Social media websites, such as Facebook and Twitter, can help spread legislator’s ideas. Just re-tweeting on Twitter and liking on Facebook can help make the opinions of a legislature known. Social media can also be negative. People can always spread lies about legislators. Also, people can spread things through Facebook and Twitter that the legislator did wrong. Overall social media is a powerful tool and even though there are some negative sides of it, social media really does help spread the ideas and opinions of legislators.

Social Media is used everyday by everyone. Legislators will benefit from social media as well as constituents. Social media will allow voices to be heard and will help ideas get out. Facebook, Twitter and other websites can be a source of these ideas. Although because the Internet is a worldwide thing than not all the stuff will be true. Because of this you have to determine what is true and what is false by more researching. Broadcasts from news stations are also another great social media tool that is going to let what the citizens think be heard. However taking information right from this resource can end in a negative way because of half the things on the internet don’t hold facts that will make it true.

Social media gives these legislators the ability to connect with the people. Social media means that these legislators should take the will of the people into consideration when voting. Though social media is cull of garbled information it does give them at least a feeling of what they should do. Social media can also be a hindrance to these leaders. Their every move is watched under a microscope.This makes government both more transparent and harder to understand

The American Taxpayer Relief Act doesn’t solve the majority of the problems that came with the Fiscal Cliff. Although the Act will produce around 600 billion dollars of revenue, that revenue doesn’t make a dent in America’s 1.1 trillion dollars’ worth of debt. Though the Taxpayer Relief Act does stall the Fiscal Cliff, it only prolongs the sudden plummet of America’s economy when it finally hits the Fiscal Cliff.

Social media has become a great platform for the public, as well as politicians, to voice themselves to the rest of the world. The power and influence of these social media websites is continuing to rise. Social Media websites such as Facebook, and Twitter are a great way for the politicians to share their ideas with the world. In the end social media is a strong tool for everyone, even though there are down sides to using it, I don't know what politics would look like without it.

Social media can be used to benefit the legislators to get there point across to the public. It is filled with information and opinions from the public that can help them in their jobs and to improve their popular votes on different matters. Facebook, twitter, tumblr, and many other websites have people that use them to share their opinion on different kinds of matters. Using these legislators can find a popular opinion and go from there.

Social media is a benefit to a legislators campaign. It can help the legislator get their point across on social media cites like facebook or twitter. The world has evolved to where people are on their computers and t.v. as much as there active, so having a strong scene in social media websites can improve the communication between voters and legislators.

Social media could benefit a legislator's campaign because it would help get their beliefs to the people. Social media is the modern way to communicate with people and now that people are reading electronic versions of the news it would be beneficial to put the message online. Having a strong social media impact would be beneficial for legislator's to get their message out.

The evolving world of social media has effected the way Americans see government. Now a limitless supply of online articles and opinions from web users is available to almost everyone. Critics and supports of different government decisions are available for anyone too see. It's like a constant political conversation that everyone is invited to join. The mass of social media offers a more casual and visible connection between the legislators and their people. Legislators can have a better idea of what their constituents expect of them. Voters are also equipped with more information about what the goals and ideas are of their legislators. Much more information is available now, and the legislators can represent and know more clearly the general will, exactly like Gore predicted. Catherine G

Social media has become an important tool that legislators can use to spread out their ideas and opinions to a bigger audience. The power and influence that social media sites have today in society can help legislators inform their supporters on his views on current affairs. Social media is a modern way to communicate with a large portion of today’s society. Social media sites are a quick way for their followers to stay updated and involved with the legislators viewpoints.

Social media is a great, effective tool that has helped legislators improve the nation. While there are unwanted consequences when social media is misused, the widespread phenomenons of things such as television and the internet outway the negative connotations. The millions of social media users are able to communicate and voice their opinions to politicians easily from their personal spaces, and vice versa. This reinforces the public’s voice and makes it simpler to get results from the government that the citizens want to see.

Social media has had a tremendous impact in politics through Facebook, Twitter, TV ads, etc. Through this means of communication, legislators are able to share their ideas and motives, hoping to seek attention from their constituents. It is crucial that the legislator expresses the views of the people, but he must also state what his motives are; social media is a great tool to use for both of these things.

The Internet and Social Media has changed the whole entire world in which everyone lives in. There are almost no secrets that can be hidden now, if it is on the Internet is is accessible to anyone who knows how to find it. What that means is that legislators cannot be two-faced anymore, meaning have one face in front of his or her followers and another when involved in business, political, or any other negotiations. Because of this world wide spread of information legislators cannot hid what they are doing to their constituents because one day it might be leaked and the whole world will know his or her "dirty" secrets.

The internet and social media have made it much easier to find out information on the candidates for the offices in question. This can sway a voters opinion. For instance, if a voter discovers through the internet that this man or woman has often said he or she will do things one way to the people and then done them another way for his or her benefit, the people may not choose to vote for him or her.

Social media has transformed the way legislators run for government. They now have a better understanding of what the constituents want and what they are leaning towards. It also makes it easier for legislators to be re-elected because now they know exactly what the people want and they want their voices to be heard. The media has mostly changed what kind of legislator will be elected. Since the constituents have a connection with the representative, a trustee is mostly likely to be elected because they make their opinions off of what the people want.

Social media has transformed the way legislators run for government. They now have a better understanding of what the constituents want and what they are leaning towards. It also makes it easier for legislators to be re-elected because now they know exactly what the people want and they want their voices to be heard. The media has mostly changed what kind of legislator will be elected. Since the constituents have a connection with the representative, a delegate is mostly likely to be elected because they make their opinions off of what the people want.

Social media should have an imposing influence on the way legislators collaborate with their constituents. However, I feel that social media is not and cannot be used properly in government. Simply sorting through website comments can become too immense and disorganized; along with the combination of "trolling" and spam, it seems to be futile. Moreover, certain sites become too partial. In order to properly utilize social media for political purposes, an organized system is required. At the rate in which the internet is evolving, it is only time before a substantial method of receiving feedback is inevitable. As Cole stated earlier, "if we could use the media effectively, the sky is the limit for America."

Social media is now a large part of politics, simply because it is a part of the everyday life of every American citizen. It is a great tool for legislators to see all sides of the argument, and to gain more supporters. Also, social media reveals everything, making it impossible for them to hide from the will of the people. Social media makes it possible for everyone to have a voice and for everyone to be involved. But, on the other hand, legislators can rarely do something controversial, without an uproar from the people. Delegates can truly hear everyone and then enact change. It makes it harder for Trustees to make personal changes when social media makes it impossible to hide from the people. In general, there are positives and negatives to social media's role in politics.

Legislators job is to represent their state's opinions when voting for certain policies. They will side with the majority of their people, unless voting against the majority will be more beneficial. It would be more beneficial because some times the people do not fully understand the entire circumstances of the policy, and the legislator is to benefit his people in the best way possible. Social media plays a role of communication between a delegate and his people. Legislator's can use social media to explain why he voted with or against the majority of the people. It can be used for the people to directly connect with their legislator. The opportunities, created from social media, give everyone a chance to directly voice the majority of the people.

Although social media is very critical, I believe it is necessary that legislators should display their true beliefs. This is may not be the case, however Social media shouldn't have a large impact on how legislators act on behalf of their constituents. Of course, they should be careful, but if they act completely as if they are constantly are being watched, they may change their beliefs in order to be liked. Social media sometimes puts a negative effect on legislators, but they shouldn't act or change because of it.

Social media plays a huge role in politics and prevents a lot of people from hiding. it makes politicians much more aware of what they say and do because they know of the ridicule that are likely to receive if something controversial is said. although this seems to be helpful for people that view politics it also hinders people because of the lies that can be made up. with the truth being easily shown to the public, lies can also be spread much quicker and much faster distorting what politicians say. social media is on the verge of having a negative effect on politics and losing the authenticity of what people say.

Social media is very important in politics and represents how legislatures stand for their constituents as trustees and delegates today. Social media should and does have a very large impact on this. Social media should be used as a way for the legislatures and constituents to share their ideas with one another, and since the legislature answers to the will of the people, for he or she to listen to the people and receive feedback and suggestions. Social media should be a way for constituents to become better aware and understanding of their legislature, what he stands for, and what he is currently occupied with. Social media is a quick and easy way for politics to be taken to a whole new level .

It is necessary for voters to keep informed as much as possible about politicians who seek to take a role in the nation. Politicians can share their beliefs and ideas to the public and have the polls change greatly. Social media is a very useful and effective way to vocalize opinions and ideas to a world-wide audience. In the present day, it is very easy to access social media through computers, cell phones, television, ect. The great majority of the population uses some sort of social media which meant there is a great deal of opportunity to publish political ideas and statements that reach an audience of a larger scale. I think social media has changes the way Americans vote in the present day. Social media allows for the constituents to become better informed of their legislature.

Social media has played a verity important role in recent election. People can much easier find out EVERYTHING about candidates, and the can easily sway voters opinions. Candidates must be careful in any public or private situation. Social media allows everybody's voice to be heard, and can influence both the people and candidates. Connections betweens delegates and their people has never been stronger, which is only strengthened by the advancement of social media.

With new faster ways of staying connected, legislators should use social media as a tool to stay connected to the people they represent and to hear their voice. With platforms such as Twitter, Facebook and e-mail, the people can make their voice heard to their legislators no matter where they are. With a constant stream of incoming information to the legislators, they can always stay informed and always be able to express the viewpoints of the people they represent.

Social Media has become an intricate part of politics. Not only does it allow for the polititians to connect with the public. It also makes the public connect to the polititians. Now the congressmen have to watch their every move because we are as well. They can't get away with anything. Scandels have become expodentially more frequent (there is even a show about it), people have a better chance of comparing candadites side by side by not only watching the debate on TV, reading the news report on it, or checking your friends twitter feed. It also becomes harder for polititians to control the people, the people are now in complete control of the polititians

Social media has become so important in today's society. Social media is used for everything from staying connected to friends and family to advertising. Since social media is so important in today's society I believe that it should affect a president. A president should want to be able to relate to the people in the country and social media is a perfect way to do it.

Social media is very widely used in our society. The use of making the State of the Union speech a public event, makes the social media a friend of congress. But when you start seeing things in media that makes things controversial makes it hard to get anything done in the Congress. It can effect how a person decides in Congress because of the fear of not being reelected. It all depends on which way its being used.

Social Media is a huge influence in our daily lives all over the world, it can be good or bad influence. It's the same with politics, it can greatly help politicians to spread their views and get in heard people all around from the touch of a button. But the downside to this is that a politician can be exploited to the whole world is he/she makes one mistake. So while they may be gaining popularity with the general public thanks to social media, they can aso be crushed by it. For example, when Mitt Romney ever made a mistake, whether it be not worrying about the voters that he will not convince or 47%. Social media could change the outcome of an Election if a big enough mistake is made.

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